The Raven and the Dove (The Raven and the Dove #1) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,65

Aethios would win that privilege every time. The committee had given Rafe the second male and third overall pick of mate, which despite his temper tantrum, was more than the House of Whispers had even dreamed to attain. But that wasn’t why Xander was smiling, why his heart thudded in his chest, why his eyes snapped toward the princess currently entering the room.

A letter had arrived late in the night—a message from the House of Wisdom.

Their princess had accepted his offer.

Rafe had looked relieved that all his efforts hadn’t ended in failure. Xander had been too shaken to pay attention to the remaining anxiety in his brother’s gaze. All his muscles had relaxed and he’d wobbled on unsteady feet until his mother gripped his shoulders, pride bright in her eyes. Her emotion spurred him back to life. A wave of energy coursed through him like a strong portion of hummingbird nectar, making him light and airy, more buoyant than he could ever remember feeling, as though even without wings he could have floated into the sky.

And now she was here.

Coralee, Xander thought, watching as she flew down the entrance hall with the House of Wisdom, wings the color of raw honey, glowing like the dawn as the sun shone through them. Her amber feathers against the white silk of her dress was a living embodiment of the two colors of her house.

He couldn’t wait to show Coralee his library. It would be nothing, he assumed, compared to the wondrous place where she’d grown up, but perhaps it would provide her with a small sense of home, so his house wouldn’t seem so strange, so foreign. And the maps, too. For a small island, they had a vast collection of maps—ones he used to study for days and days while Rafe practiced more physical pursuits. But Xander had always preferred the crisp shade of a reading room to swordplay under the hot summer sun, and the touch of rough parchment to a smooth leather hilt. The dusty smell of old books, though not always the most fragrant, was home, and he had a feeling Coralee would think the same.

He’d had a dream the night before, of the two of them sitting side by side next to a fire on a cold winter night, swapping a volume back and forth, each taking turns reading a chapter aloud, her voice a lullaby in the dark. And maybe that was all it would ever be, a dream, but he hoped not. He wanted more than just a match. He wanted a mate.

“Welcome,” the King of the House of Peace boomed.

Xander started, pulled from his thoughts. Coralee was watching him too, a small smile on her lips as though she found him amusing. He dropped his gaze, embarrassed that she’d caught him in the act of staring. The king continued to speak, but Xander couldn’t for the life of him listen, especially as his focus was drawn to his right hand by the questions swirling in the back of his mind.

Would the princess continue to be amused when she realized she’d been duped?

Or would she hate him for lying?

Would she understand the necessity of the trick he’d pulled?

Or would she turn from him forever?

Did she want Rafe, the warrior?

Or would she be satisfied with him instead?

As he examined his hand, for a moment even he thought it was real. They’d sewn a glove to the sleeve of his jacket and stuffed it with soft clay, so it had the weight and suppleness of a real hand, and the look of five fingers, though they couldn’t bend. But if he rested it on the chair, no one would ever know the ruse. When he stood to remove his mask, the game would be a bit more difficult to play, but Rafe had used a special knot Xander could tug free with one hand. The only noticeable difference between them was the color of his eyes, lavender instead of Rafe’s sky blue, but his brother assured him he’d kept his gaze on the ground most of the time, so hopefully no one would notice. If they did, perhaps they’d shrug it off as a trick of the light. Another hour, and the trials would be over. By morning, they’d be on their way home with a new princess in tow. He just had to get through this final ceremony. And then— And then— And then—

And then…what? Xander thought, shifting his weight in the seat, subtly moving his